Solar Powered Plane Traverses the Pacific Ocean Highlighting the Importance of Renewable Energy (Video)

The Solar Impulse, a plane powered by nothing other than the sun has succeeded in crossing the Pacific Ocean. This amazing accomplishment highlights the capabilities and the importance of renewable energy. This record setting voyage was flown by pilot Andre Borschberg. The 118-hours it took to make the journey breaks a record for the longest nonstop solo flight ever.

Solar Plane in the Process of Setting a Record by Circumnavigating the Globe

A solar powered plane is making its way around the world. The lightweight plane is called Solar Impulse 2, it has a wingspan wider than a 747. The carbon fiber and polymer impregnated paper plane incorporates high performance energy management software, advanced lithium-ion batteries powered by 17,000 high efficiency solar cells.

The two rotating pilots hope to fly the plane into the record books. The flight began in Abu Dhabi on March 9 and is expected to conclude its global voyage in July of this year. The first leg of the journey took the plane to Muscat, Oman and then on to India on March 10.

Infographic - Solar's Potential in US Public Schools

Event - Venture Summit West

This event will take place on February 12, 2014, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The summit content will include discussions and educational tracks focused on cleantech. The Second annual Venture Summit West, presented by youngStartup Ventures, is the premier industry gathering connecting venture capitalists, corporate VCs, angel investors, technology transfer professionals, senior executives of early stage and emerging growth companies, university researchers, incubators and premier service providers.

The Winner of the Solar Decathlon 2013

In October, eighteen collegiate teams from around the world went to Irvine, CA to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2013. Collegiate teams composed of architecture, engineering, business and communications students designed, built and operated solar-powered houses that are cost effective, energy efficient and attractive.

In addition to home design, almost half of the competition teams showcased an electric vehicle next to their house.

Introduced in 2011, the competition requires that all houses be constructed for $250,000 or less to earn maximum points.

Event - Clean and Cool 2013

This event will take place from November 30 to December 7, 2013 in Colorado. Clean and Cool Mission Colorado is an entrepreneur mission to help the UK’s most promising early stage and innovative cleantech SMEs do business in the US faster.

Video - Winner Crosses Finish Line at the 2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

Watch the final moments of the grueling Bridgestone World Solar Challenge as the winning team for 2013 crosses the finish line in northern Adelaide, Australia. This 3000 kms event highlights some of the best solar powered car technology in the world.

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2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia

2013 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia

The biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is a platform to showcase the world’s most efficient electric cars. In addition to presenting leading solar technology the event also inspires young people to address the imperatives of sustainable transport.

Solar car teams from 23 countries are competing in one of the world's most prestigious and grueling sun powered car races. By the end of the race cars will have traveled a total 3000 kms through the Australian Outback. However, the event is about far more than a long distance car race. The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge showcases innovation, adventure and achievement and brings cutting edge renewable energy technology to the forefront in an effort to find a sustainable future for the planet.

Event - Clean Energy Conference and Exhibition: ICCE 2013

Clean Energy Conference and Exhibition: ICCE 2013 will take place Monday September 9 - Wednesday September, 11, 2013 in Ottawa, Ontario. ICCE 2013 will take place on the banks of the majestic Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau Rivers. Ottawa is one of the most beautiful G8 capitals in the world. Ottawa is also rich in culture and heritage with its many national institutions, parklands, waterways and historic architecture.

Working Paper - China’s Overseas Investments in the Wind and Solar Industries: Trends and Drivers

Shifting to a low-carbon economy will require current emitting countries and projected future emitters to rapidly scale up their investments in renewable energy. China is already the leading global investor in renewable energy infrastructure, and is increasing its overseas investments in renewable energy, particularly solar and wind. This working paper aims to help policymakers, investors, and researchers better understand the trends in China’s overseas investments in the wind and solar industries, as well as the factors behind those trends.

Video - The Stella Solar Powered Family Car

The Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) presented the world's first solar-powered family car. "Stella" is the first "energy-positive car" with room for four people, a trunk, intuitive steering and a range of 600 kilometers (373 miles). This is the car being entered by the student team in the Cruiser class of the World Solar Challenge that starts in Australia in October 2013.

Video - Solar Boat Tûranor as it Embarked on its Global Voyage

The Tûranor is an extraordinary boat which highlights the seemingly limitless capabilities of solar energy. The largest solar boat in the world set sail from Monaco at the start of a world tour aimed at promoting the use of sustainable energy. The Tûranor is now the first solar powered boat to successfully circumnavigate the globe.

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Solar Powered Yacht Turanor Circumnavigates the Globe
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Schindler Solar Elevator on the Rise
Solar Powered HB-SIA Plane Sets New Record
Video - The Stella Solar Powered Family Car
Video - The Solar Impulse Crosses the US Powered Only by the Sun

Video - The Solar Impulse Crosses the US Powered Only by the Sun

Watch the Solar Impulse as it flies from California on its journey across America. In 2013, the Solar Impulse became the only solar powered plane to fly across the country. This plane proves the extraordinary capabilities of solar power.

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Solar Powered Yacht Turanor Circumnavigates the Globe
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Video - Solar Boat Tûranor as it Embarked on its Global Voyage

Solar Powered Yacht Turanor Circumnavigates the Globe

At the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi Planet Solar unveiled the Turanor, the world's largest solar powered boat. As reported in Triple Pundit, this is the first ocean going craft to sail around the world powered entirely by solar energy.

The massive 8.5 ton yacht comfortably carries a crew of a half dozen and can accommodate up to100 people at a time.

It cruises comfortably at 5 knots with a maximum speed of more than 10 knots. Thanks to its lithium-ion batteries the boat can also sail at night.

Luminos and Stella 2 Cars in the World Solar Challenge

Here are two solar powered cars, Luminos and Stella that are both being entered into Australia's World Solar Challenge in October 2013. The goal of this competition is to travel 3000km across Australia from Darwin to Adelaide. The key qualifying feature is with the exception of 5kW hours of stored energy, all other energy must come from the sun or be recovered from the kinetic energy of the vehicle.

Luminos, is a Stanford Solar Car Project, which is the 11th such vehicle since their founding in 1989.

As reported in Cleantechnica, Luminos boasts several major innovations including their own highly efficient drive motors – one on each front wheel. Another innovation of the Luminos involves the use of monocrystalline silicon solar cells from Sunpower that have one of the highest production conversion efficiencies available in the world today, as well as a 3M-designed antireflective layer that also has excellent aerodynamic properties.

Schindler Solar Elevator on the Rise

The Schindler Solar Elevator supplies up to 100 percent of elevator power needs in residential and low-rise commercial applications. This technology reduces energy costs while ensuring operations during power interruptions.

As reported in Energy Manager Today, some of Schindler's engineers contributed to the record breaking flight of the Solar Impulse.

According to the head of Schindler Elevators, the successful journey of the Solar Impulse has implications for solar elevators. What they learned can be put to work to make elevator and escalator operations more energy efficient. Their experience will also help them to develop power management systems, including batteries, and the lightweight construction.

Solar Powered HB-SIA Plane Sets New Record

Earlier this summer, the plane known as the Solar Impulse landed at New York's JFK airport, completing the final leg of a journey across the US using nothing but the power of the sun.With the exception of a tear in the fabric of the left wing, the journey went off without a hitch.

Nearly 12,000 solar cells, drive its four propellers and charge the plane's 400kg of lithium-ion batteries for night-time flying.

The two seater HB-SIA craft carried out the first inter-continental flight in 2012 and holds the world record for the longest manned solar-powered flight at 26 hours.

America Surpasses a Solar PV Milestone and Keeps Going

NPD Solarbuzz reports that due in part to state incentive programs, the US has installed more than 1.8 gigawatts (GWs) of solar photovoltaics (PV) in the first half of 2013, pushing the nation beyond 10 GWs. Solar PV is a semiconductor technology used for generating electricity by converting the the sun's rays into electricity. America joins Germany, Italy and China which have already produced more than 10 gigawatts of solar power.

The performance of US solar in the first half of 2013 exceeds the growth of solar in the first half of 2012 (1.8 GWs compared to 1.3 GWs). The Utility-scale market was responsible for at least 45 percent of solar PV installations.

Investment in Fossil Fuel & Renewables in South East Europe

The European Investment Bank (EIB), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),  invest more in fossil fuels than they do in renewable energy.

According to EIB officials, between 2007 and 2011 their bank invested €15 billion in fossil fuel projects compared to €14.8 billion in renewables.

According to the new South East Europe Change Network (SEECN) report, (which covers Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia), between 2006 and 2012, 32 times more of the €1.68 billion invested by development banks in the Western Balkans’ energy infrastructure went to fossil fuels than to non-hydropower-based renewables.

Breakdown of Solar Demand in Q1 & Q2 2013

According to NPD Solarbuzz analyst Michael Barker, Germany, China, Japan, and the US accounts for more than 60 percent of solar demand in the first half of 2013. China and Japan alone are responsible for 45 percent of global demand in the second half, up from just 10% three years ago.

According to the quarterly report from NPD Solarbuzz, nearly half of the demand in the first half came from large-scale utility and commercial ground-mount applications, with just 20 percent from residential rooftops. The rest of solar demand came from non-residential rooftop installations like businesses and off-grid applications.